Why have a wedding videographer?

Well, to say I have been busy is an understatement. I have finished up the rough cut for both of the March weddings. The mountain cabin wedding video has been mailed and delivered. Now I just wait to see if she wants any changes. The second wedding rough cut is also finished, but the bride and groom have been busy trying to get back into the normal swing of things that we have not been able to get together and watch their video. Speaking of their video, it is the longest video I have done to date. Most videographers, myself included, like to keep wedding videos under an hour for the most part. If it goes over an hour, you tend to loose the audience. Well, this last video was hard to do that with since the ceremony was 45 minutes alone. With everything else we added to the video, it ended up being about an hour and 15 minutes long. WOW.

My wife and I went out this past Saturday night to see Sugerland in concert with some friends of ours. Their daughter baby sat our daughter that night for us. When we came home we were chatting with her and she was telling us about a wedding shower she went to that day. She said that the bride was looking at having a photographer but did not know if she wanted a videographer for her wedding. So our baby sitter told her about my business and that my wife is now doing wedding photography. The girl said she didn't think she needed a videographer. Our babysitter then asked me, "why should you have a wedding video done?"

I hear that question a lot, mostly at bridal fairs and wedding shows. I have one simple answer for that question. You are going to have a photographer at your wedding right? Of course, everyone does. Everyone wants to have photos to go back and look at and share with their friends and family. But, lets say your best friend was getting married, and for some reason you could not be there. You had something you just could not get out of and you were going to miss the whole day. When your friend came back from her honeymoon and you two got together, would you rather sit and look at her photos or her video?

Think about it, the pictures are great and capture a moment in time. They are artistic and can last a life time, but they only capture a second of time and more time than not, they are staged. The photographer studies long and hard to learn how to pose everyone for that perfect shot, the bride, the groom, the families and such. But, it is staged. What about that little moment you and your groom stole and you just looked at each other or you put your head on his shoulder while the photographer was setting up the next shot? What about the little kids running around or dancing during a song? Those are just a few things that the photographer will not get or can't capture the true feeling of the moment.

Also, think about this. You are planning a wedding you want to remember for ever. Your special day with that person you have looked long and hard for. Your day arrives and you are lost in all the preparation for the day, make up, hair, pictures, not to mention the actual ceremony itself. Shouldn't you get it see it as well? With a professional videographer, you will get to see everything you planned and get to see it the way your friends and family saw it. You can relive the vows that mean so much to you, the first dance you had as husband and wife with that song that reminds you of him. You can see the tear in your dads eye as he holds his little girl close for their special dance. These are emotions that a true professional videographer can capture for you on your most special of days.

So ask your self again, would you rather look at her pictures or her video?